Beyond Orientation: Confidential Conversations that Inform Retention
Presentation
Saturday, January 23, 2027 | 10:00-10:50AM
International schools invest heavily in recruitment in terms of time, money and resources, but often lose staff in the first two years, when the novelty fades and the real decision to stay or leave gets made. Traditional onboarding focuses on logistics: visas, housing, systems. But what actually determines whether someone stays is often something else: whether they feel seen, supported, and able to navigate the challenges of a new country and a new workplace.
This session shares a pilot project informed by Oberg's culture shock model, Berry's acculturation strategies, and Motivational Interviewing. Over several coaching-style conversations, clear patterns emerged that surveys and exit interviews consistently miss. These conversations also directly informed our next steps from how we structure orientation, to how we follow up with staff, to how we collaborate with wellbeing initiatives across the school.
This same framework can be used for non-teaching roles, perhaps even more so, as onboarding for these roles is often minimal.
I'm an HR manager, not a therapist, but I learned that sometimes the most valuable thing you can offer is a confidential space to think out loud.
Participants will leave with:
• A replicable, zero-cost framework for confidential staff check-ins
• A differentiated support model based on transition stage and engagement profile
• Practical strategies for surfacing retention risks before they become resignations
• Lessons learned from building a coaching practice inside an HR role
Facilitator
Dr. Martina Meneghetti
Talent and Retention Manager
Shanghai American School
Martina Meneghetti is an HR professional with more than a decade of experience in international education. At Shanghai American School, she focuses on aligning talent acquisition, employee experience, and retention initiatives with the school’s growth goals. Previously, she managed recruitment across more than 20 schools at Dipont Education. Martina holds an Executive MBA and a PhD and speaks Italian, Chinese, and English.
